JANUARY, r1gT0. | THE ORCHID REVIEW. 29 
A friend, a pace in front of me, tripped over the strings and exploded both 
barrels. Fortunately only a few twigs suffered, and a subsequent interview 
with the sportsman will, I think, prevent a recurrence of the incident. 
A fair number of snakes have met their fate, but only five poisonous 
ones, viz., four Jararacas and one Urutu. The latter, “‘ moré suo,” struck at 
my gardener, who was last of the party, but again the aim missed. 
A German professional Orchid collector, who for fifteen years has 
traversed the neighbouring woods for hundreds of miles, has been bitten by 
a variety of venemous snakes. Once he sat down on one, and naturally 
could sit on nothing else for weeks—but he is hale and hearty to-day. 
I dread snakes, and when in the woods always carry a hypodermic 
syringe and a 10 per cent. solution of permanganate of potassium, which, 
applied immediately, is, my doctor says, a safe antidote, but I have never 
had occasion to prove it. 
The valley described in April has been oft revisited. The majority of 
Cattleya intermedia there are of the usual type, but the comparatively rare 
exceptions are very interesting. The most beautiful, ‘‘ me judice,” is of 
unstained white throughout, bar the front lobe, which, when seen with the 
other types, appears of perfect coerulean blue, but a strict comparison with 
that colour shows a slight lilac tinge. (Is this variety well known ?) [Var. 
ceerulea.—Ep.|. Another variety vies with Lelia purpurata in size and 
darkness of lobe, which contrasts abruptly with the rest of the flower. 
Occasionally the whole perianth, including the front lobe, is of uniform 
deepish rose tinge. Some have the outer termini of the side lobes very open 
and large, with a distinct yellow tinge at their juncture, causing a discreet 
doubt as to the relations of a distant ancestor with C. Harrisoniana. 
Though the majority are absolutely scentless, a few possess a powerful rose- 
like perfume. 
I had the good fortune on several occasions to see Cattleya intermedia 
fertilised by a bee, resembling the English Humble bee, but treble its size. 
The insect settles clumsily on the front lobe, and at once weighs down the 
labellum from the column. It speedily reaches the nectary. ‘‘ Ut revocare 
gradem, lic opus hoc labor.’ It appears as though caught in a trap, and its 
struggles threaten to dislocate the flower. Gradually it emerges backwards, 
and the pollen, in a most lifelike way, affixes itself to always the same spot 
on the back of its neck. The bee settles on the nearest firm spot, apparently 
in a furious temper, and tries hard to remove the pollen, but only knocks 
off the case. The stigma of the next flower visited relieves him of the 
burden on his return journey from the nectary. Occasionally the side lobes 
are forced beneath the column, which remains exposed after fertilisation. 
Regarding natural hybrids : Lelia purpurata seems to mix with Cattleyas 
Leopoldi and intermedia in a variety of ways, and it is sometimes a puzzle 
